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This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is smooth, creamy, and packed with deep caramelized flavor from roasting the squash whole. It’s the kind of cozy fall soup recipe that feels fancy but is secretly incredibly easy to make!
Love creamy soup recipes? You need to try our Creamy Lentil Soup as well as our Easy Tortellini Soup AND our Italian Penicillin Soup!
Why you’ll love this simple soup recipe
Truthfully, I’m not a huge butternut squash fan but I do LOVE it in soup. I had a version of this recipe at a hotel once in Ireland and thought about it for YEARS until I finally set out to recreate it at home. It turns out silky smooth and just packed with so much flavor – I know you’re going to love it!
Why You’ll Love this easy butternut squash soup recipe:
- Roasting the squash whole makes it naturally sweet and deeply flavorful – no peeling or chopping raw squash!
- It’s creamy but without feeling heavy.
- It’s made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients
- Perfect for fall dinners, meal prep, or holiday starters
In this post…
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this roasted butternut squash soup recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Butternut squash 1 Roasting it halved (instead of cubed) keeps this easy and develops incredible caramelized flavor.
- Yellow onion – Adds savory depth and balances the squash’s natural sweetness.
- Garlic cloves – Essential for a rich, aromatic base.
- Vegetable broth – Thins the soup and keeps it vegetarian. You can sub for vegetable stock or even chicken broth if preferred.
- Ground cumin – Adds subtle warmth and complexity without overpowering the squash.
- Nutmeg (optional) – Just a pinch enhances the natural sweetness and gives that classic fall soup vibe.
- Milk – Makes the soup extra creamy. Whole milk gives the richest texture, but you can use 2%, half and half, heavy cream, or unsweetened plant milk if needed. I’ve also made this with sour cream instead of milk and LOVE the little bit of tang that it adds to the soup.
- Optional toppings – Pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme, crispy sage leaves, cracked black pepper, or a drizzle of cream or olive oil for a beautiful finish. This is also delicious served with a good slice of crusty bread!
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and rub the flesh side with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until fork tender, about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, saute the onion and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Once the squash is done, carefully remove the flesh using a large spoon and put it into the pot with the onions along with the veggie broth, cumin, and nutmeg. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Using a blender or immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until it’s silky smooth. I find it easiest to get a creamy texture in a high-powered blender but I also love the ease of an immersion blender. Stir in the milk and season to taste.
Expert Tips for the Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roast cut-side down on the sheet pan. This traps steam and caramelizes the edges for a deeper flavor!
- Blend thoroughly. A full minute of blending makes the soup ultra smooth and silky. While a high regular blender gets the soup silkier smooth, I usually prefer the ease of an immersion blender (which still does a great job!).
- Adjust thickness last. Add extra broth after blending to control consistency. I don’t usually need any but it’s an option if you like your soup thinner.
- Taste before serving. Butternut squash varies in sweetness—sometimes it needs an extra pinch of salt.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! That’s the beauty of this roasted butternut squash soup. Roasting it halved means you simply scoop out the flesh after baking.
Yes – simply swap the milk for unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or any dairy free milk that you prefer!
Absolutely – just let it cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 2½–3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- ½ cup milk, optional
- Optional for serving: pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme, drizzle of cream or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Carefully slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut sides with ½ tablespoon olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 40–50 minutes, or until the squash is very tender and easily pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly, then scoop the flesh out of the skins and discard the skins.
- While the squash roasts, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the roasted squash flesh to the pot along with the vegetable broth, cumin, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches (if using a blender, put the soup back in the pot once it's smooth).
- Stir in the milk until creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add more broth or milk as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
